Renata Stuurman and Gail Mabalane steal the show in the relatable romcom, ‘Happiness Is’
When it comes to romcoms, South African filmmakers are stamping their authority in the genre.
To date, films like “Smart Casuals”, “Tell Me Sweet Something”, “Fanie Fourie’s Lobola”, “Troukoors”, “Love Lives Here”, “Catching Feelings”, “Mrs. Right Guy”, “Seriously Single”, “Home Wrecker” and “A Soweto Love Story”, have taken viewers on an emotional roller-coaster.
The narratives touch on individuals who are commitment-phobic, heartbroken, guarded, jealous and unfaithful, among other things.
And the stories are deeply embedded in a South African slice of life, making them relatable.
“Happiness” is without a doubt one of our all-time favourite franchises.
It started with “Happiness is a Four-Letter Word” in 2016. Based on Cynthia Jele’s 2010 novel of the same name, it centred on three best friends Nandi (Mmabatho Montsho), Zaza (Khanyi Mbau) and Princess (Renate Stuurman) navigating the trials and tribulations of love and life.
Of course, it was a bonafide hit with South Africans.
Netflix dropped the sequel, “Happiness Ever After”, which picked up on the BFFs five years later.
Unlike the original movie, which had a solid blueprint to work from, this one tried to match its appeal by retaining that sisterhood trope, with the immensely talented Stuurman, Mbau and Nambitha Ben-Mazwi (Zimkhitha) as its anchors.
Again, streamers loved the film, resulting in the announcement of the third sequel, “Happiness Is”, being met with unadulterated excitement.
This time around, Princess is very conflicted about where she is in her life while contemplating turning the big 4 0.
While she’s enjoying co-parenting Thandi (Naledi Shange) with Leo (Richard Lukunku), who has cleaned up his act and has, with the help of Princess, become an acclaimed artist.
She still has feelings for him and is hopeful of them making a go of things again.
Her best friend Tumi (Gail Mabalane) is planning a celebration to end all celebrations. The luxury event architect is determined to make the milestone birthday unforgettable.
But there’s just one problem - Princess is feeling anxious about not having anyone to spend her life with. Learning that Leo has a special someone in his life from her daughter cuts deeply.
After finding out that there is no chance of a reconciliation, Princess calls off the party to escape to her mother’s off-the-beaten-track luxury home.
However, Tumi isn’t about to let her best-laid plans go astray and gets her new bae Sabelo (Siv Ngesi) to gatecrash Princess’s pity party.
Unbeknownst to Tumi, he invites his sister Nelly (Phaphama Nqabeni). She informs the other sibling Tony (OC Ukeje), who invites his side chick Fifi (Rosemary Zimu), a social media influencer, to the party.
The cherry on the top is the arrival of Leo, who it turns out is dating Nelly.
There’s also the very sexy birthday chef Mawethu (Anton David Jeftha), who could be the answer to Princess’s problem but she’s too blinded by rage and jealousy to see it.
Meanwhile, Tumi walks a very fine line between being in a committed relationship and being single. Wearing the scars of her previous relationship on her sleeve, she struggles to let her guard down with Sabelo.
Amid the unfolding chaos, where emotions run high and secrets are exposed, everyone learns a valuable life lesson about love and forgiveness and several bonds are strengthened.
Stuurman is always a joy to watch. She plays her emotional character with finesse and confidence. Mabalane matches her powerful performance with plenty of sass to boot.
Ngesi is a marvel to watch. The camera loves him. He plays a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve with commendable gravity. Whether his character is being a fool in love, jealous or hurt, he delivers with every emotion.
And, excuse me, when did David Jeftha become so hot? Yoh, his scenes, while only a handful, were impactful and swoon-worthy.
“Happiness” is an entertaining romcom with a stellar cast.